Michael Fingleton insists he ‘paid a personal price’

Former Irish Nationwide chief executive Michael Fingleton has insisted he “paid a personal price” for the impact of the economic crash, despite receiving a €1m bonus in 2007 and walking away in 2009 with a massive €27.6m pension pot.

The controversial Celtic Tiger figure made the claim as he insisted “80%” of what is written about him is “totally wrong”, that his building society never gave preferential treatment to “celebrity” customers and that the firm – which cost the State €5.4bn to bail out – was solvent and did not need to be saved.

Speaking at a hotly anticipated bank inquiry meeting, one of Ireland’s leading bankers before the economic crash said he has “paid and continues to pay” a “personal price” for what happened due to his high-profile during the boom.